3-aza steroids



United States Patent US. Cl. 260-2395 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Compounds having the structural formulae:

and

wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, bromine or fluorine, R is hydrogen or alkyl from 1 to 11 carbon atoms, and R" is hydrogen or lower acyl of up to carbon atoms, are progestational agents and, in particular, possess anti-ovulatory activity.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my previously filed applications Ser. No. 412,838 filed Nov. 20, 1964, and Ser. No. 424,184 filed Ian. 8, 1965, both now abandoned.

The present invention relates to steroidal 3-oximes and 3-aza-A-homo steroids. Specifically, the new compounds may be represented by the following structural formulae:

3,455,903 Patented July 15, 1969 and wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, bromine or fluorine, R is hydrogen or alkyl from 1 to 11 carbon atoms, and R" is hydrogen or lower acyl of up to 10 carbon atoms.

The 3-oxirnes, acylated 3-oximes and 3-aza compounds of the present invention have activity as progestational agents, and more particularly, possess anti-ovulatory activity.

Steroidal oximes can conventionally be prepared by reaction of a carbonyl group on the steroid with a hydroxylamine salt in the presence of a base such as pyridine, sodium hydroxide or sodium acetate.

When a steroid having a carbonyl group at the 3- and 2O-positions is subjected to treatment with a hydroxylamine salt under basic conditions, the dioxime would be the expected product. Due to the presence of a 17-ester group in the starting compounds from which the oximes of this invention are prepared, steric hindrance prevents the oximation of the 20-carbonyl. The l7-ester can be readily converted to the alcohol by hydrolysis.

The oxime is subjected to Beckmann rearrangement in the presence of an acidic reagent to form the corresponding 3-aza-A-homo steroid. Typical acidic reagents which may be used are thionyl chloride, polyphosphoric acid, p toluenesulfonyl chloride, p-acetylaminobenzene-sulfonyl chloride, p-aminobenzenesulfonyl chloride and phosphorus pentachloride.

The oxime at the 3-position is esterified by treating the starting material with an organic acid chloride or acid anhydride such as acetyl chloride, acetic anhydride, propionyl chloride, propionoic anhydride, n-butyryl chloride, n-butyric anhydride, isobutyryl chloride, isobutyric anhydride, capryl chloride, caproic anhydride, pelargonyl chloride, pelargonic anhydride, benzoyl chloride, benzoic anhydride, etc.

As starting materials for the preparation of the oximes, there are used compounds of the structural formula:

wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, bromine or fluorine, and R is alkyl from 1 to 11 carbon atoms.

The following examples illustrate the invention:

EXAMPLE I l7a-acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime EXAMPLE II 17a-caproxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime Following the procedure of Example I, l7a-propionoxy progesterone yielded 17u-propionoxy-pregn-4-en-3, 20-dion-3-oxime having a melting point of 205-209 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 71.79; H, 8.79; N, 3.49. Found: C, 71.72; H, 8.73; N, 3.65.

EXAMPLE III 18a-caproxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime Following the procedure of Example I, l7a-caproxy progesterone yielded 17w-caproxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion- 3-oxime having a melting point of 189192 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 73.10; H, 9.32; N, 3.16. Found: C, 73.18; H, 9.61; N, 3.25.

EXAMPLE IV 6a-methyl-l7a-acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20dion-3-oxime Following the procedure of Example I, 6a-methyl-l7aacetoxy progesterone yields 6a-methyl-17a-acetoxypregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime having a melting point of 215-218 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 71.79; H, 8.79; N, 3.49. Found: C, 71.78; H, 8.91; N, 3.61.

EXAMPLE V 6a-methyl-l7a-propionoxy-pregn-4-en 3,20 dion 3- oxime Following the procedure of Example I, 6u-methyl-17apropionoxy progesterone yields 6ot-methyl-l7a-propionoxy pregn 4 en 3,20 dion 3 oxime having a melting point of 122-124 C. Calculated for C H NO.,. Theory: C, 72.25; H, 8.98; N, 3.37. Found: C, 72.43; H, 9.13; N, 3.49.

EXAMPLE VI 6m-methyl-17a-caproxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime Following the procedure of Example I, 6a-methyl-17acaproxy progesterone yields 6a-methyl-17ot-caproxypregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime having a melting point of 97-98 C. Calculated for C -H, NO Theory: C, 73.48; H, 9.47; N, 3.06. Found: C, 72.98; H, 9.56; N, 3.55.

Utilizing the method of Example I, the following related compounds are prepared starting from the appropriate progesterone:

17a-undecy1oxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime 6u-methyl-17a-undecyloxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-di0n-3- oxime 6a-ethy1-17 a-acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime 6a-propyl-l7a-actoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime 6a-chloro-17a-propionoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime 6a-bromo-17a-caproxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime Got-fluoro-17'o -acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime EXAMPLE VII 3-aza-17u-acetoxy-A-homo-4a-pregnen-4,20-dione 4.0 grams of 17ot-acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime was dissolved in 30 ml. of dioxane and treated with 5.0 ml. of thionyl chloride. The brown solution was stirred at room tempearture for one and one-half hours. The reaction mixture was poured into an excess of ice water and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride layer was washed with sodium bicarbonate solution until neutral. The organic layer was again washed with water and dried over sodium sulfate. On evaporation, it gave a brown oil which was recrystallized from acetone-hexane. The crystals were washed with cold ether to yield 1.4 grams of 3-aza-17a-acetoxy-A-homo-4a-preg nen-4,20-dione having a melting point of 274277 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 71.29; H, 8.58; N, 3.61. Found: C, 71.53; H, 8.61; N, 3.80.

EXAMPLE VIII 3-aza-6a-methyl-17u-acetoxy-A-homeAa-pregnen 4,20- dione Following the procedure of Example VII, 6u-methy1- 17a-acetoxy-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime yields 3-aza- 6a-methyl17a-acetoxy-A-homo-4a-pregnen-4,20 dione having a melting point of 184--186 C. Calculated for C .,H NO Theory: C, 71.79; H, 8.79; N, 3.49. Found: C, 71.18; H, 8.77; N, 3.59.

Utilizing the method of Example VII, the following related compounds are prepared starting from the appropriate 3-oxime.

EXAMPLE IX 3,l7a-diacetoxy-6a-methyl-pregnen-4-en-3,20-dion 3- oxime 500 mg. of 17u-acetoxy-6a-methyl-pregn-4-en-3,20-

dion-3-oxime is treated with 1.5 ml. of acetic anhydride and 0.7 ml. of pyridine. The mixture is stirred for ten minutes and poured over ice water. Crude crystals are formed which are collected by filtration and recrystallized from aqueous methanol to yield 485 mg. (88%) of 3,17oc-diacetoxy-6a-methyl-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime having a melting point of 104-107 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 70.40; H, 8.41; N, 3.16. Found: C, 69.83; H, 8.87; N, 3.21.

EXAMPLE X 3-propionoxy-17a-acetoxy-6a-methyl-pregn-4-en-3,20- dion-3-oxirne 1.0 gram of 17cc acetoxy 6a methyl pregn 4 en- 20 one 3 oxime is treated with 1.5 ml. of pyridine and 3.0 ml. of propionic anhydride. The mixture is stirred for 15 minutes at room temperature and is added to ice water. The mixture is neutralized with ammonium hydroxide and filtered. The precipitates are recrystallized from methanol-water to yield 1.2 gram (96.5%) of 3- propionoxy 17a acetoxy 6a methyl pregn 4 en 20 one 3 oxime having a melting point of 8185 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 70.86; H, 8.59; N, 3.06. Found: C, 70.58; H, 8.73; N, 3.14.

' EXAMPLE XI 3-caproxy-17a-acetoxy-6a-methyl-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion- 3-oxirne Following the procedure of Example X, and using caproic anhydride as the steri-fying agent, there is yielded 1.4 gram (97%) of 3-caproxy-17a-acetoXy-6u-rnethylpregn-4-en-20-one-3-oxime having a melting point of 105- 108 C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 72.11; H, 9.08; N, 2.80. Found: C, 71.92; H, 9.17; N, 2.96.

EXAMPLE XII 3-benzoyloxy-l7u-acetoxy-6m-methy1-pregn-4-en-3,20- dion-3-oxime Following the procedure of Example X, and using benzoic anhydride as the esterifying agent, there is yielded 1.0 gram (79.4%) of 3-benz0yloxy-17a-acetoxy-6amethyl pregn 4 en 20 one 3 oxime having a melting point of 190-193" C. Calculated for C H NO Theory: C, 73.63; H, 7.77; N, 2.77. Found: C, 73.77; H, 7.71; N, 2.80.

Similarly, utilizing the preparative methods of Examples IX and X, the following related compounds can be prepared, starting from the appropriate 3-oximc and acid chloride or acid anhydride: 3,17a-diacetoxy-6a-ethyl-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxime 3,17u-diacetoxy-6a-fluoro-pregn-4-en-3,20-dion-3-oxirne 3-propionoxy-17a-acetoxy-6a-fluoro-pregn-4-en-3,20-

dion-3-oxime 3-caproxy-17a-pr0pionoxy-6a-bromo-pregn-4-en-3,20-

6 3-decyloxy- 17 a-propi0noxy-6 a-methyl-pregn-4-en-3 ,20-

dion-3-oxime What is claimed is: 1. A compound of the formula wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, bromine and fluorine and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl of from 1 to 11 carbon atoms.

2. 3-aza-17a-acetoxy-A-homo-4a-pregnen-4,20-dione.

3. 3 aza-6a-methyl-17a-acetoxy-A-homo-4a-pregnen- 4,20-dione.

References Cited Mazur, J. Org. Chem, vol. 28, pp. 248- (1963).

HENRY R. JILES, Primary Examiner R. T. BOND, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. gso wm, 99g 

